Switched Loyalties - Family Ties
by Warrior-of-Darkness015
Summary: In the aftermath of Apokolypse's death, Dairou still won't rest easy between Rogue's new secrets, the mysterious X-23 who appears to be the daughter/clone of Wolverine and his own family seeking out the killer of Apokolypse and mysterious eyes on him, can Dairou train Rogue in peace before his evil sword, Amaterasu consumes him along with a family tradition that he doesn't want?


**Switched Loyalties - Family Ties**

 **Dairou does the voice-over...**

* * *

 _The end has come...but so has new beginnings..._

* * *

 **This was the moment, as all on-lookers hope for the best…or the worst, depending on what is lost or gained by Dairou's victory or defeat.**

 **Dairou clashes with Apokolypse, running Ameterasu straight through his heart as he received a wound to his side, he looked down in horror that he may not survive this as the two fell, Apokolypse is dead. Dairou was clinging to his own life at the moment**

 **The X-Men run to his side as the other onlookers, they were to make their decision if to pronounce him dead themselves.**

 _{Ellie Goulding's 'Beating Heart' (the part without vocals) plays… I don't own it but like it all the same}_

"Dairou" Illyana ran to him as he only grunted in response as she came to his side "don't die…" she had tears in her eyes as he looked at her sadly, he had a soft spot for a sad woman period and she was no exception as he catches a stray tear "I'll be fine…don't cry, you're making me sad"

Illyana chuckles as she came down to kiss his cheek, but he intentionally puts his lips in the way and she tried breaking the kiss in surprise but he held her in place until they separated "Wha-?" was all she could say as Dairou interrupted, silencing her "sorry, but I don't like being kissed on the cheek…I don't care if Roguie sees us either, it's not like we can hide."

"Wait here" she said, leaving him "I'll get the others" he only nodded in reply and waited, content with watching her leave for now.

She quickly returned with the X-Men and the still woozy Beast to his side "We need to get him back to my lab and fast" Hank said checking his wounds.

Victor and Piotr nodded as they heaved his body back to the mansion "Come on, big guy, you've lived through far worse" Victor grunted his words of encouragement.

 **Dairou looked at Rogue in silence before closing his eyes.**

* * *

 **The four watching Dairou followed them back to the mansion, keeping their distance, while at the mansion Dairou having fallen unconscious for the journey was awake, still in severe pain as Daimon Hellstrom visited with Rogue.**

 _{Ellie Goulding's 'Beating Heart' continues this time with the vocals of the chorus…I don't own the song, I just really like it}_

"What do you two want?" Dairou asked without an inch of emotion looking away from the two.

"To help you…with your father's permission already granted" Daimon said the flame on his head blazing as it usually did.

"What help would I need from the two of you?" Dairou was cautious as Rogue smiled "He's gonna restore your lost memories"

Dairou looked at the two like they were as mad as he was getting now "Stand back, Rogue…" he said calmly causing Rogue takes a step back as Dairou sat up looking Hellstrom straight in the eye.

"So, you mean to tell me you could've restored my fucking memories this entire time and did nothing?!" Dairou was furious as Rogue stepped back further as he grinned _"Arigatōgozaimasu, anata hanamochinaranai baka!"_ (Thank you, you insufferable idiot!) then he slugged the demon right across the nose knocking him into the wall.

Victor entered to hear the commotion "What's goin' on in here?" he asks as Dairou only shrugged and grinned innocently at Victor gave him a suspicious look "Nothing dangerous, Sabretooth-sama."

Victor held Dairou's raised hand and put it back at his side as he smiled "Rest easy" Dairou raised an eyebrow "With Logan still out there, how can I?" Victor frowned "Something tells me, we've only begun to see my little brother's true colors"

"I just hope you're wrong about him for once" Dairou looked sad as Victor put a hand on his shoulder "As do I."

* * *

 **Logan moves to the hillside, still to some degree worried about Dairou but not as much as it would appear, when he is greeted by a young woman, about Daken's age with almost the same personality as him, his clone/daughter, Laura Kinney codename X-23.**

"You see him, don't you?" Logan looked at and circled Laura with distaste "He's the killer of yer poor, little mother" he said with slight amusement.

"When do I get to make him pay?" was all she said glaring at the red eyed man being towed away by the X-Men "I'll go in there and kill him right now and anyone who gets in my way!" she popped two claws from her knuckles in a similar fashion to Logan, with another single one in each foot.

Logan grabbed her by the throat "If you go in there now, your fate is sealed and I won't be coming to yer rescue or funeral" he threw her to the ground as she looked at him in pure fear and disbelief "Come on, you'll get yer festering revenge in no time but we have things to do first."

Laura looked through the forest and saw Giriko Cerulean pass by followed closely by Pinger Cerulean, unaware of them and growled on sight of the white haired man "...like keeping our eyes on them?"

Logan nodded as he walked off and Laura followed but stopped to take one last look at Dairou as she thought _'all in due time'_ as she hurried after Logan who wasn't waiting.

* * *

 **Outside, the visitors decide to take their leave as well…having planned accordingly, with Dairou alive.**

"Looks like you've made a losing bet today, Giriko" the Dairou-lookalike, Roku smirked as Pinger remained adamant as he thought _'maybe this man can help me find my father and brother…'_

"Roku, do you think I'll ever find my brother?" Pinger asked as they stopped and the woman, Yuna shook her head "not this again…" earning a glare from Roku and an incredulous look from Giriko "Go on and check the aura blockers to make sure we aren't found, we'll catch up" the two looked at each other before going in separate directions and checking some discreetly placed glowing paper markers with the Kanji for _'block' (ブロック)_ marked on them.

Roku turns to Pinger "You think those outsiders will actually help you?"

Pinger looks away "I'm willing to do anything to find my father…if it means working with that strangely familiar man, then so be it" Pinger gave a serious expression as he followed Giriko then stopped for a moment scowling "It's not like you guys are much help."

* * *

 **Back with Dairou, he was resting for now but couldn't help but think he sensed a familiar aura even for a slight moment as Daimon got to restoring his memories.**

"She's rather fond of you, so why are you so cold to her?" Hellstrom asks a strangely silent Dairou as he replied "I despise weakness… can't tolerate being in love with someone who is so dependent on others as much as her."

"Then train her" the demon suggested as Dairou looked out the window with a quirked eyebrow "train her to be as strong as you are, leave the X-Men if you have to."

Dairou gave a small smile "I think I will" he said as Hellstrom finished "my mind's a fog, is that supposed to happen?"

Hellstrom nodded "You are to return to Hell and finish your mess from the last time as well" he poked him in the chest with a glare as Rogue came in and Hellstrom left them alone "Dairou…"

Dairou puts his hand up to silence her as he closed his eyes "I don't want to hear any excuses for why you're still too dependent on me!" he snarled angrily as she took off his necklace "You must want this back then?"

He took it and put it on "we're leaving for training…" as she gave a hopeful smirk "the team?"

"No" Dairou swung a punch at her and intentionally missed "as I've said, you've grown far too dependent on my power instead of your own, so it's just you and me, baka no baka."

Dairou pulled her close and kissed her then hugged her "and I'm sorry…for everything" Rogue rubbed his back to soothe him "enjoy my kindness while you have it now though, cuz once we leave this mansion, it's over and I won't be going easy on you and you should know well what I do to things that disappoint me" he pulled out Ameterasu to prove his point.

He loses his grip of Ameterasu and gripped his head in pain as the sword fell to Rogue's feet and she could fell an energy calling out to her but he grabbed it swiftly before she could "do…not touch it."

* * *

 _...Now...a new beginning..._

* * *

 **Dairou grabbed Ameterasu before Rogue could as she stepped back from his glare, she could almost feel his blood raise in temperature.**

 _'I should leave him alone...he must need his rest'_ she thought as Dairou narrowed his eyes "Stay...please and keep ya mitts off Ame-" he stopped midway between his bed and Rogue looking to the side with a look of pure terror "W-what's this terrible power I'm feeling?" He asked himself out loud.

 **Rogue looked at him, evidently worried as he slowly put Ameterasu in it's sheath.**

Suddenly, she tensed and began feeling the same thing Dairou was "Great...now I've got the same feeling"

Dairou looked at her suspiciously as soon as she said this, intentionally keeping his aura at a low steady flow and glow "do you _'see'_ anything around me?" He asked in a stern but calmer voice as Rogue looked at him to see an energy flowing around the man's shirtless, mostly scarless body.

 **She nods, noting the red but invisible to most, aura around the second son of Odion.**

"Yeah...I see red" Rogue squinted slightly "a feint but beautiful red glow around you"

 **Dairou remained focused as he closed his eyes for a moment, the intensity of his aura increased exponentially**

"What about now?" He noted her surprise as she gasped "wow...beautiful, but why are you showing me this?" She asks concerned as Dairou walked out, gesturing for her to follow but his eyes warning her to be very careful.

* * *

 **In the foyer, Odion laid on a large couch with no shoes on...asleep as Dairou and Rogue came upon him.**

"What do you see?" Dairou asked once again as Rogue flinched when Odion's ear moved.

Rogue kept her eyes on Dairou's father, as he slept uneasily.

Rogue stared at him, vaguely seeing his black aura...what she hadn't noticed was Odion staring back at her over his shoulder "Rogue-chan..." Odion said calmly as Rogue replied with a distracted "hm..." until his aura intensified, scaring the wits out of her for a moment "you've made it clear enough that you can see auras so go away!" He glared at Dairou _"Howatā anata made kaijū, e?"_ ("What're you up to, Kaiju?")

Dairou looked at him with slight innocence "why would you think I'm up to something?"

"Cuz I know ya better than she ever will, teme, and you're hiding somethin' from her" Odion sat up, rubbing his eyes and leering at his son "she'd find out either the easy way or the hard way unless you cut the bullshit...that is all up to if you tell her your past and do _NOT_ lie, teme wolf-cub."

Dairou nodded as father and son shared a sad look as if Rogue wasn't even in the room, she tried to slip out but Odion called out to her "Rogue...you've got a long journey ahead of you, both of you...sake?" He now had a very large bottle of very strong and very expensive Japanese sake as the three entered the kitchen.

"I don't drink..." Rogue humbly replied with a nervous chuckle but Odion insisted with a grin of his own "come on...neither do I really, but there's a first time for everything"

Rogue shrugged taking a tall glass "isn't this a bit...too much" as Odion was tempted to put the entire bottle to his head with a grunt "maybe for you it is...your stomach's weak and the only way I'm going back to sleep is if I'm really drunk and tell Creed he's dead if he lays hand on my sake...I also sensed that strange presence..." He gave Dairou a knowing look

* * *

 **After a large glass for Rogue, three for Dairou and four for Odion, he went back to sleep while Dairou was staggering but still far from being drunk and Rogue saw stars...elsewhere, Wolverine and X-23 had followed the Cerulean 3/C3 (Giriko, Roku and Yuna) and Pinger Cerulean as they used rope to get into a large castle Logan assumed was their base of operations, he and X-23 followed suit and easily stuck to the shadows.**

"You're late..." Logan heard a deadly voice and saw a man nearly three times Dairou's size step out of the shadows, which somehow hid his large form completely, and the three began to kiss up to him, as far as Logan could tell.

 _"Naze anata wa tashika ni watashi wa anata yori mo yoi manā o oshiete...Node, chikoku shite imasu ka?"_ ("Why are you so tardy...surely I taught you better manners than that?") the man said uncaring but with a personality that was the constant opposite to Dairou Cerulean's.

"Echo..." Giriko scowled at the man with two giant four-point shuriken on his back as he bit his tongue, knowing the beating he'd receive for his next words when Echo clenched his fist "We do not take orders from you..."

Echo flinched with a rage his former students knew well not to mess with despite his usually non-confrontational ways, but did nothing but warn them that he was in no mood to be fucked with "It takes a real man to know when to be quiet, Giriko-san...unlike you."

 **Echo disappeared into the shadows before he could reply as Dog watched everything, smirking from a distance.**

The three walked until they came upon a huge door, entering to see a seemingly old man waiting with a sword with shimmering blueish white blade, Tsukuyomi that was the same length as Dairou's Ameterasu.

The old man, despite his outward appearance was anything but...he was the current Head (Patriarch) of the Cerulean Family, the conniving and sinister Bakura Cerulean.

Bakura stared at a shrine. This shrine was actually a seal called _The Caged Fang Seal/Kēji Kiba Shīru - ケージ牙シール_

 **He's been trying to break this seal for years now but the demand was high, he needed red eyes, which were very powerful, albeit extremely rare among the Ceruleans, to break it and plunge the world into chaos that always brought bad memories of the past that he'd much rather forget...**

* * *

 _Flashback start…_

 _Nearly 100 years before present day (and before the first Switched Loyalties), a young Odion was finally old enough to train in order to someday challenge his father, Bakura for the title of Head of the family as was his older brother, Yuichi 'Yu' Cerulean._

 _Personally, Odion had never cared for it but Yu was different, hearing that to get the rank he had to kill his father…he thought that it was better to earn the rank without killing anyone. Odion wasn't entirely against the beliefs of his sometimes naïve brother though, as they were both still rather naïve, but if he wanted that tradition to end, he wanted it to end with his father…dead as he no doubt hated him for neglecting them completely and becoming more interested in power, which he already had in abundance, and how he could get more._

 _Odion also wanted to protect his wife and sons, Dairou and Darius who were now far from his father's 'all-seeing' powers and that was his only reason for still being here other than his nii-san._

 _"How are your training regimens coming along" Echo came along with his bird, a massive Hawk, on his arm looking at the young men he trained so well "my students aren't slacking off now, are they?"_

 _"We great, Echo-sama" Yu grinned then looked to Odion, who was serious and stoic as usual "but I think Odion might work himself to death."_

 _"Then so be it" Echo said uncaringly "the less training he'd need, but there is a thing called 'overdoing it' and knowing your brother…he doesn't really know it"_

 _"I hear ya" Yuichi chuckled as Odion looked at them blankly "I heard that, Yu nii-san, I was only training so much so I can beat you…master" Odion came over, bowing to Echo before fainting into his arms as he chuckles. He rarely shows emotions like that but watching his students excel until they had the nerve to challenge him always made him happy, a somewhat evil sort of happiness but still the same to him as he one day planned to challenge the brothers one-on-one regardless._

 _Giriko was a distance away, glaring at him, he was Echo's student as well, he was skilled but nowhere near as skilled as Odion or Yuichi yet, preferring anything that made him money and gave him the finer things in life than his actual training as he scowled seeing Odion trying to train himself to death just to get the very hard to impress Master Echo to smile…truthfully, he didn't know the older man was even able to smile, it was like he was born with a scowl._

 _"Baka" Giriko scowls to himself "why train when you can have all you want?" he counted a large amount of money in his hand._

 _Years and many more hours of gruelling training later, Odion and Yu are now full grown men and by this time Dairou was born and was about six years old (his rapid aging or mutant powers hadn't kicked in yet) when he was taken by his father to see his new uncle and granduncle._

 _Dairou was a very quiet and 'lone wolf' type of young man, compared to his two years older than himself brother, 12 year old Darius but was smart beyond his years and liked weaponry of almost any kind as he saw Echo coming his way and cowered behind his father in fear, Echo noticed right away that he was a coward but a prodigy beyond his years and did not even know it "father, who is that big man?" he said, his fear increased when Echo gave him his usual emotionless look, he doesn't trust outsiders._

 _Odion chuckled in amusement "Dairou, meet my uncle, Echo-sama, he wants to see you" Echo looked slightly wary seeing that the boy inherited his father's blood red eyes but gave a small smirk with a outstretched hand "hello, young one, you needn't fear me as I will never harm you"_

 _As soon as Dairou reached out, Echo grabbed him and sat him upon his shoulder as he laughed and held on to Echo's naturally white ponytail "I like his hair…" Echo never allows people to get close, let alone touch his hair but there were exceptions as he replied "then grow your own" he stroked the boy's cheek "it'll look good on ya, takin' after your old man and me" he gave Odion a 'we need to have a serious freakin' talk' look. Odion left the boys to play as he warned them "no fighting or you'll regret it…take my word for it" so he could talk to Echo in private and he was rather adamant about Dairou NOT staying with them for the fear that he won't last the night._

 _"Odion, take your son and go as far from here as you can" Echo said with brutal honesty as Odion gasped "what…why?!"_

 _Echo growled glaring at his nephew as he spoke in an annoyed hushed tone "What color are his eyes?!" carefully not raising his voice enough to alert the boys despite Dairou's ear twitched slightly as Odion, not getting where he was going, scowls slightly but cautiously "Red, like my own…why?"_

 _"The moment you find a change in my brother around the boy" Echo instructed "take him…both of them and run, give me your word" Odion nodded "I will" and they shook on it._

 _A year of Odion watching Bakura's interactions with his sons, he had no suspicions…yet then after ignoring Dairou that entire time, Bakura had a sudden urge to see his grandson that Odion felt uncertain about._

 _Odion entered the main room with Dairou and saw his father, bowing as all did in respect to the head of the family as Dairou clutched to him in fear, he was still an easily scared kid "Papa, I'm afraid, can we leave?"_

 _Odion looked at him, he was shaking but locked eyes with his grandfather as the man had a cryptic, deceptive look on his face as he saw the red in his eye, Odion, perceptive as always, noticed this "come here, boy" the older man snarled slightly though Dairou doesn't notice._

 _Dairou wouldn't dare speak, shaking his head and clinging to his father like his life depended on it both father and son looking to see if the man would take hold of the sword leaning on the side of his chair "Go to him, I'll be right here…" Odion assured Dairou calmly as he gave him a questioning look, but obeyed. He did not want to anger either adult in the room and wanted to go see his granduncle, Echo. He liked him most here, other than his father and Uncle Yu..._

 _Dairou stepped closer to the man cautiously before being pulled half the way as he yelped at the sudden tug 'how could someone so frail be so strong?' he questioned himself as the man stared into his bright eyes with his own slightly fading red eyes, Odion was struggling to control his K.I by this point otherwise his father would sense it and raise his own._

 _"Amazing…" Bakura gasped looking at the boy's eyes while keeping his head in place, Odion knew that look, he got that look every day of his life until he'd tried to steal his eyes and Echo protected him, clearly foreseeing his older brother's treachery, he'd become power hungry as those with red eyes held great power weather they were conscious of it themselves or not...young Dairou seems even more powerful than his father, but only Bakura and Echo is aware of the boy's potential._

 _That was when he saw it, Bakura was acting as old as he looked taking advantage of Dairou's will to help others and curiosity as well as his good nature and upbringing, but Odion knew otherwise though nothing important happened as he slept there…or at least tried to when he heard his father roar into the night._

 _Odion exited his room and faced an almost fully awake and grouchy Echo at his door "What's going on?" Odion questioned, glancing back at Dairou on his bed, only stirring 'It seems even wolf cub's being bothered by this too…wait, where?!'_

 _Echo seemed to follow his thoughts as he confirms noticing Yuichi's room already open and empty "Yu…he must be fighting my nii-san."_

 _"Yuichi!" Odion only heard half of Echo's sentence before taking off to the training alter…the Cerulean family's version of an old fashioned Danger Room only to find Yuichi fighting Bakura after apparently trying to ambush him in his sleep._

 _They clashed repeatedly, Bakura's Tsukuyomi versus Yuichi's Claymore…he was a swordfighter like Odion, but preferred much heavier swords than him and he swung it like a katana with his beyond human strength that Dairou later inherits as well as his eyes glowed white and Bakura's eyes glowed black._

 _They made one final clash…Bakura clearly holding back drastically and even then, his power was raw before Echo's shuriken parted them and ended the fight, a chore that Echo was getting tired of._

 _Bakura looked to see Echo as calm as ever, if anyone didn't know them, they'd never know that they hated each other as much as they do._

 _"What is the meaning of this?" Odion asked with a protective instinct in his already defiant tone as Bakura looked at him "he attacked me, apparently wanting to lay claim to my title, something about change and whatever" he glared at his eldest son as Odion shared the same look with his older brother._

 _"What were you thinking?!" Odion asked loudly and angry enough that the whole mansion could hear as he was walking with him to their respective sleeping quarters "You have a death sentence if you're challenging father like this…"_

 _"Yuichi…" Odion said before Yu interrupted, breaking his silence "won't you want to know what it feels like to replace father…to take his place and change things around this dank place?"_

 _Odion only stopped and raised an eyebrow to his brother, having never wanted to face his father but still hating the tradition of death always on their family's doorstep...and a change of scenery wouldn't hurt though._

 _The next night, Dairou was awake for the entire night and irritating his father so he was sent to Echo's room "Go see uncle Echo, if you can't sleep…just leave me be" Odion gave him an odd, tired look, although he could barely sleep either and was worried about Yuichi, as the boy nodded and found his way to Echo's room._

 _He knocked on the door "Echo, are you awake?" as a voice inside, barely a whisper replied "yes, you may enter" Dairou hesitated for a moment, finding Echo still angry at Yu and Bakura from earlier before Echo growled a bit louder "come in or go away!"_

 _At those words, Dairou forced his way in landing on his stomach as Echo was found meditating "Master, what are you doing exactly?" he chuckled as Echo looked at him and ruffled his hair and short ponytail "meditating…join me, you seem troubled" he chuckled for the first time in Dairou's presence, scaring him slightly but he quickly shook it off._

 _Dairou joined him as they took deep breaths "Clear your mind…let only my voice become your guide" Echo's voice seemed to…well, echo through the boy's mind, relaxing him._

 _"calm yourself-" Echo cut himself off when he heard light snoring from the young one as he laid him on his bed "Namaste, young one" he said falling asleep himself effortlessly but uneasily "seems you've cleared your mind a bit too much"._

 _The next day, Echo was awoken by Dairou's panicked scream and looking around the room by instinct, Dairou had left without waking him, his onyx eyes glowing ominously, whoever hurt the boy was dead…no question about it._

 _He heard Odion cry out for his brother next 'did something happen to Yu-?' He found his own brother and what he saw next made the blood drain from his face, his own nephew dead at his brother's feet and he had Dairou in his grasp crying his heart out._

 _The look on Yuichi's seemingly dead face would be engraved into Echo's mind for as long as he lived, death didn't bother him but this was murder…murder bothered him very deeply, it was dishonorable, unacceptable and his brother was going to pay if it was the last thing he would do and no matter how long it'll take, he was excruciatingly patient when it came to revenge._

 _Echo threw his shuriken, barely missing Bakura's head as they glared at each other and while that distracted him, he took the mortified, mentally scarred Dairou from the man's grasp and tossing him to his frozen father, waking him from his daze momentarily as tears fell down his face._

 _"Get…out" Echo said through clenched teeth, just then Odion just lost it and charged at Bakura but ended up pissing Echo off further as the man grabbed him by the neck and threw him out of the room before he kicked the door shut._

 _"What are you thinking?!" Bakura glared at his brother "he is MINE!" Echo's head snapped to him as he twitched to those words "YOURS?!" he jumps back for a moment creating energy/aura clones of his shuriken in various sizes with his powers over illusions "Katsu Shurikenjutsu" he launched the group of shuriken at his brother, managing to knock him back and disarm him, separating him from Tsukuyomi. He has no fear of his brother's power._

 _The following night, Dairou was allowed to stay in the mansion but only for the night._

 _That night, Dairou was extremely distraught and refused to sleep without Echo but the next morning he had to be gone, on his way there he saw Yuichi, apparently still alive "Dairou, come...here" he said beckoning the boy to come closer "Y-Yuichi-sama?" He shook, evidently scared of and to death as Yuichi gave a sad chuckle, which was weird for the exuberant personality he had as he took his most beloved treasure, a Yin-Yang necklace, from around his neck and placed it around Dairou's as tears streamed down both their faces "promise me...you'll never forget who...you...are" he said growing weaker as Dairou nodded "please...don't go" Dairou's fragile voice cracked as he was pulled into a hug "This is where we part ways, I'm afraid, young Kaiju..." he said finally as his body materialized and disappeared to spend the rest of his eternity in the seal as Dairou went to Echo's room and knocked the door, Echo opened it and stood there for a while without Dairou noticing him as he stared at his new Yin-Yang necklace and caressed it uncomfortably as Echo looked at the necklace and said "Dairou...you can join me, that fits you" he said as he sat to meditate as Dairou looked at him oddly and returned his stare to his new medallion, completely silent through their last meditation together as Echo put his arm around him "Echo-sensei, Y-Yu's dead and it's all because of me!" Dairou broke down as Echo raised his hand cautiously "Wolf, what has transpired is no fault of yours..." But Dairou kept crying as he snapped "Quit snivelling like a gaki, I said it's NOT your fault!" Dairou calmed slightly as he fell asleep "I love you, master…I want to come back if you protect me and papa" he muttered half-asleep as Echo held him close and replied "If you say so…this will be our promise to each other, our pact" as they slept. Dairou didn't know what a pact was and quite frankly couldn't care less._

 _Odion and his sons left the next day as promised, but Echo knew his brother was far from through with them though, luckily Echo gave Dairou some training but not enough as that was now Odion's job._

 _Bakura meditated in his room, he was joined by a silhouette of a man with a evil voice almost similar to Wolverine's, but deeper and much more conniving and sinister "Bakura…you promised me those eye…" he said with a creepy tone raising his hand as Bakura struggled with a piercing pain inside his head as he glared at the shadow "I will give you my grandson…it'll just take more time than planned"_

 _Echo was watching and couldn't believe his eyes or ears…did Bakura truly hate his children and grandchildren this much as the shadow chuckled "hehehe, should I take yours as compensation instead then if you fail again?" he reached for the man's eyes "the eyes of the Head of the Cerulean's would be worth so much more than that brat's Satsui no Ameterasu plus you can probably get me into that seal too"_

 _Echo's eyes widened as he thought 'Satsui no Ameterasu…this monster is using my brother to get Dairou—then could he be?'_

 _Echo still hadn't relaxed by the next morning, but he went to see Dairou, Odion and Darius off, but first he had to anxiously peel his grandnephews off him "you must go, Dairou-san, Darius-san" but the boys weren't listening or letting the man go as the twins said together "but we want to stay with you"_

 _"I will miss you but you must go" Echo said sternly, pushing the boys away from him "it's not safe here for you anymore…don't come back here!"_

 _"Come on, boys…" Odion said sadly as he and the boys left but Echo's work was far from finished, there was still the case of the mysterious outsider he saw filling his brother's head with nonsense._

 _Echo went to the roof, he was alone…or so it seems, but he knew he was being watched "come out, outsider…hiding from me is pointless, I think you know that by now."_

 _"Of course, Cerulean mansion's silent guardian" the hooded man stepped out, his voice slow and calm as always "Bakura warned me about you…"_

 _The hooded man paced pointing his finger at Echo as he bared a white feral grin "I knew hiding from you in your own dog pound was not only ridiculous but utterly pointless, but I want the boy and you can't stop me" he chuckled_

 _"I don't have to…" Echo said "but whatever my brother's paying you, I'll triple it with interest for you to leave the Odion's boys be and work for me"_

 _The man stops pacing mid-step and paced back until he was standing right in front of Echo "triple with interest, you say?" he asks in curiosity as Echo nodded "whatever you say, but I doubt that'll persuade ya brother, he wants that boy badly and that young smartmouth, Kaiju doesn't seem to think he belongs to anyone, let alone that naïve twit of a father of his."_

 _Echo looked to see men in the distance already pursuing Odion, those men were skilled enough to kill his sons but not their father as Echo turned back to him, flashing one of his rare smiles "I have faith in my family and Odion is one of the best I've ever trained…even if you find them, he'll pass everything I've taught him onto them making them equally as formidable, if not more, than himself."_

 _The man bowed on one knee "fine then" he said "I serve you now...your loyal Dog."_

 _"Inu is your nickname, I take it?" Echo asks curiously as Dog shook his head "no, boss...Dog is my real name, but I have many other nicknames, not all of them liked."_

 _"What's my nii-san up to?" Echo asks as Dog rose to his feet with a devilish grin "the seal on the Kēji Kiba Shīru shrine, familiar with it, boss?" By the hesitant step back he took and the rage in his eyes, Dog knew he could continue as Echo took him to the very shrine he spoke of, many souls were imprisoned in the shrine for all eternity, unfortunately, Giriko's parents were among them but he was fed the lie that they were murdered by none other than Odion Kimura Cerulean although he equally blames his sons. The doors were made of a special but highly pure and rust proof metal that allowed souls to enter but not escape unless it was an exceptionally pure and powerful soul._

 _Flashback end…_

* * *

"The Kēji Kiba Shīru..." Odion closed his eyes "it seals the soul within while keeping said person alive for all eternity...I've only seen it a few times to decipher as much as I could of its inscribed history, but no one knows"

"So it's basically easy immortality?" Rogue asks as Odion shook his head "quite the contrary...imagine your soul ripped out as painfully as possible, killing the body after a while then sealed away...still alive, in a sense, and aware of it happening." He shuddered with a sadness in his eyes.

"Are-are you crying?" Dairou said wide eyed only to be slapped and almost sent flying as Odion growled "Say that again?" as Dairou dismissed it muttering "n-nothing..."

 **Rogue left, knowing by the look both men shared that they needed their alone time.**

"Tell her...the truth" Odion sits at the table with a look of eternal boredom as Dairou replied "and that isn't what I did?" causing Odion to glare at him and shake his head.

"You may be able to lie to her, but don't try lying to me" he pushed two fingers against his son's forehead, smiling as if in a world of his own "Rogue will never know you as well as I do."

* * *

 **Dairou leaves and finds Rogue trying to busy herself knowing he usually won't bother her if she's busy but Dairou got the jump on her this time. The X-Men were still rebuilding after Apocalypse, but although things weren't perfect, they were manageable for everyone but Dairou who felt at fault for most of it, even what wasn't his fault, like Bloodshot leaving the team with the claim that she might murder Dairou in his sleep if she stayed, Shade's unwarranted and strange, even for him, disappearance and the school in shambles when they should've been expecting new students and staff.**

"We sleep in tonight, Rogue" Dairou said, then smiled mischievously "tomorrow...well, we'll see...g'night."

Rogue's face paled as a million things ran through her mind "I can tell you're worried without even reading your mind...rest assured, you needn't worry about me."

 **Both went to bed, but Rogue couldn't sleep a wink...suddenly, while deep in thought, her door swings open and Dairou is standing there with an unsheathed Ameterasu and an odd look in his red rings on black eyes.**

Dairou was silent and breathing slowly, his mind was fast asleep as his body seemed to move of it's own will.

He also seemed distracted, only acknowledging Rogue at the sound of his name "Dairou?" She pretended to have just woken up "...what're you doing up at this hour?"

Dairou goes on the offensive, a aura of both black and red surrounding him as he glared at her _"I am not Dairou..."_

 **Without warning and the silence of the very night, he pins Rogue to the bed looking at her gloved hands.**

 _"Those gloves...remove them"_ he brought the long black katana to her throat at an astounding speed _"they are repulsive..."_

"Who the fuck are you?!" She snapped as the blade almost cut her ear off for it _"you will know when they are gone!"_ the man on top of her replied with a neutral emotion, piercing her pillow as his grip on her tightened.

 **Seeing no choice, Rogue abandons her gloves...she didn't need them in Dairou's presence anyway. The man's grip or stare hadn't softened as Dairou's would've, neither did his sharp, harsh tone as he chokes her and lift her off the bed.**

 _"This is ME..."_ He gestured to Ameterasu as Rogue struggled a confused "what?"

Dairou dropped her and quickly back handed her across the face knocking her on the bed easily _"I said I am not Dairou...I am Ameterasu"_ Dairou, or now Ameterasu said _"after you go to the Forgotten City, meet me in the ancient Furyoku Forest surrounding the city...sleep tight."_ He left and Rogue was gently guided to a blissful enough sleep.

* * *

 _The next day - Cerulean Mansion..._

 **Dog was alone upon the roof in a Lotus position meditating when he opens his eyes to look...down at the sky, remembering his moronic mistakes of a younger brother and same age as him but separated by months, half brother.**

 _'Vengeance really will be sweet after all, little brother...'_ he thought _'...and these Cerulean fools will be perfect to help me do just that'_

 **He was so deep in thought that he'd almost forgotten that he was not always as alone as he seemed with the two men he now served.**

"Stop daydreamin', jackass" a man had the nerve to flick a pebble, from God alone knows where, at Dog's head as he tried to contain his seemingly eternal annoyance and anger as he swung around, his overly muscular arm which was normally hidden under his cloak came inches from throttling the man "Mind yer own fuckin' business, grave robber!" He snarled as the man kept his distance with a smile

"Grave robber?" The man, Matthew, said sarcastically "you wound me, Doggy"

"Wrong day to get on my bad side, Matt" Dog growled adjusting his cloak revealing his wild shoulder length black hair "Why are ya here anyway?"

"Why don't you join my collection...?" He asks earning a look of growing annoyance, not to mention rage, from Dog who replied "again...I decline, I have bigger plans than death right now" Dog sighed, his voice suddenly becoming more evil "I don't plan on dying actually, but if I did, I'd weaken my HF (healing factor) to a low enough point then seal myself far away from YOUR reach before ending my own life...simple as that. Shinigami-sama deserved my soul and I'll be damned if you get my body as an undead puppet on a string" Dog looked around to see Matthew's pissed scowl and him disappearing through a strange portal provided by his master "a simple 'no' would've sufficed, Mr. Scrooge..." but luckily Dog was no longer listening.

 **Logan however had sent X-23 to keep tabs on Echo while he watched the man he believed to be dead his whole life.**

 _'God...I though I murdered that sick fuck!'_ His mind raged noting the unforgettable scar he gave him with his, at the time bone, claws across Dog's face. It was a reminder of Logan's terrible family history and the fact that although they were very similar in appearance to the point of almost being confused for twins on many occasions, they were far different individuals.

 **With Echo, he was meditating as X-23 quickly grew bored with how mundane his life seemed. Little did she know, he was well aware of her presence.**

"Join me if you wish, intruder" Echo said, his eyes closed "...for I assure you, your life will end before you escape this mansion"

X-23 remained silent and hidden, there was no way he could know she was there until he looked right at her behind him, he still couldn't see her but her aura was as clear as day...a light golden color in comparison to Logan's bright golden yellow aura, he took a deep breath that made her skin crawl "female clone...young but overconfident...if you're looking for someone, I'd suggest Furyoku Forest a day from now...do you mind?" He grunted as X-23 leaves and meets a mortified Logan who when asked what happened, said it was nothing as they left by jumping from the airborne, albeit by strange unseen and unknown means, Cerulean Mansion.

* * *

 **Early the next day...Furyoku Forest, Echo was with Pinger who was quieter than usual.**

"A man will enter the forest at some point and you are to kill him..." Echo paused for a moment and just stared at Pinger "Is... something the matter?"

Pinger shook his head "Why...?"

"Why what?" Echo replied, confused as to why Pinger would doubt having to kill this particular target "You think he's misunderstood... just like I am, that much I can see" Pinger looked at him blankly, his opaque blue-green eyes open as if he could see.

Echo grew weary of the conversation, never seeing the young one's point when he gets like this as he rarely listened to reason "Ping...you can't see, you're blind and were born that way"

"I may be blind but I can still see auras and other things...and only an idiot could see that with or without my permanent blindness" Pinger snapped before calming himself a bit as Echo stared at him uncharacteristically "Whatever, just don't forget your mission...kill the man whose aura you sensed during Apocolypse's demise" he said.

 **Preparing to leave as a kunoichi girl with light blonde hair and dark green eyes appeared in a puff of smoke, she was Echo's mute student, Kunai and she was far deadlier than the weapon she was named after despite her appearance when angered, which is unlike a woman or Kunoichi...she is also Echo's prodigy and adopted daughter.**

"Kunai" Echo said sternly as the female looked at him with a stare that made Pinger scared and unsure of her intentions even if he can't see her eyes as he snapped slightly "What is she doing here?" Pinger said faintly sensing her aura as Echo ignored the question "the intruders from last night...follow them and keep an eye on the male" Kunai nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"What was that about?" Pinger asked as Echo just remained silent for a moment before replying "there were two intruders here last night..." Echo's eyes sharpened "they were looking for a Cerulean."

"What's with your choice of students though..." Pinger said "Kunai-chan doesn't even talk"

"You can't see either but you've both proven to be extremely deadly when angered or agitated" Echo reasoned straightforwardly "...or so I've been told"

Pinger barely moved but suddenly felt like a blade went through him "So you've been told?" He said curiously "By whom were you told this, because I've surely told no one this?"

"Giriko-san" Echo said getting straight to the point "you can hit him with a boulder or something later, but your target seems to have an eternal key in his possession and as you know, they never look like actual keys..."

Pinger never shrugged, but his curiosity grew about his particular target, little did they know they were being watched by Dog.

"I almost did not see you there, Dog-sama" Echo said not turning to him as Pinger flinched and thought as Dog's eyes fell on him ' _He was there the whole time and I hadn't sensed his presence...what is he?'_ He thought as Dog noticed his spaced out look and touched his shoulder "Stop staring...and yes, I can sense your fear of me...what little there is."

Pinger shakes away from his grip "I can't and don't 'stare', teme...I'm blind" he passed his hand across his blank face as Dog answered simply "I know that...and Boss, I think I know those two intruders" he passed Echo a file of Logan and Laura.

"Is this man your nii-san or something?" He looked at Dog who almost snapped under the scrutiny "you should've told me you had a twin brother."

Dog's emotion went blank "simply a coincidence, my brothers are dead..."

Dog half lied but remained calm so Echo, who was always watching him, wouldn't even notice as he thought _'either they are dead or they'll wish they were...'_

* * *

 **Back at the X-Mansion, however Kurt was nagging Dairou about going with him...little did he know plans were already made for him...**

 _"Anata no mondai wa, kodomo wa nanidesu ka?"_ (What's your problem, kid?) Dairou tried to hide his annoyance at Kurt nagging him for the last few hours as Kurt scowls "You're taking me with you for training, right?" Kurt asks hoping the answer was a yes as Dairou shook his head "Not. Happening." He said sternly before sighing "but..."

Odion appeared and looked at Kurt with expectations Kurt thought impossible to reach and grinned as he sat across from him as Kurt tried to hide from his stare.

Dairou noticed and said nothing as Kurt said "Can I come with you and Rogue and why does your father look at me like that since he blew his top on Wolverine"

"He deserved it as well..." Odion said "besides, you're bound to cross paths with him again sooner or later, like it or not, I intend to make sure that you can kill him...on your own."

"You're kidding...right?" Kurt said as a shadow of Logan appears in his mind with a smile that scared him more than he'd like to admit "and Logan has been awfully quiet lately, so he's probably forgotten about me."

"No, he hasn't..." Victor broke his silence "he hasn't forgotten or changed but agreeing with sourpuss" he stuck his thumb at Odion "I think it is best if you learn to fight better and get over yer fear of the runt. He'd just use it against ya and I'm talkin' from experience here"

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Logan and X-23 decide to free fall from the Cerulean Mansion but mid-fall, Logan's consciousness seems to have been taken elsewhere...another plane of existence from the one his body is in. He was in a large room, pillars defying gravity and a strange figure that looks remotely human sitting in a lotus position on a mat but Logan decides to remain hidden as he tried to extract his claws to notice all his powers and heightened senses were gone.**

' _Shit...'_ He thought, wherever he was he couldn't use his powers or claws _'What the hell, why aren't my claws coming out?'_

Logan looks at the masked individual, his mask looking like part of his face as he looked at a strange board before him. To Logan, it looked like a cross between a classic Chess board and an Ouija board due to the letters, numbers and even kanji on it that Logan could vaguely recognize.

 **The man did not move, nor did he flinch from inspecting the board when a portal opened before him. Matthew steps out with a smirk.**

"Matthew..." The masked man said in deepest, creepiest voice possible "you're late again"

Matthew simply bowed to the man wearing black and white robes and an exact match to Dairou's Yin-Yang necklace, his long white hair coming out under the back of his mask and he did not look like he was breathing "Master, you really need to get out more..."

The man then replied "...and you need to listen more" with a flick of his wrist, all the prices that were laying on their sides stood up and a clear circular glass moved randomly over the letters "as I have told you every time you ask this of me, I have no intention of leaving this place yet...I am content for now" he looked as a woman walked out beside him, seemingly by his will and not her own.

"What about this, huh?" Matthew scowled as he pointed at a ring on his right middle finger, it was metal with markings even Matthew could not recognize in a blue glow "I also need to find my brother, Michael"

"Yes, but he will not join you without and will actually do everything to evade you...that ring I gave you allows you to return here but this one is one to watch" Dairou appeared on the glass, all his past battles and exploits as well as his future.

"Who is that?" Matthew scowled "he wears the same necklace as yours"

The man nods looking at the girl "this man will serve as a threat to my plans..but you are not to fight him, understand?"

Logan's eyes narrowed, not seeing the two but seeing Dairou in the floating glass as Matthew nods and sighs, really wanting to kill Dairou "alright...if you say so, master" as he disappeared through the portal.

 **After a minute, Logan thinks that all is fine despite his instincts telling him the exact opposite, little did he know that the strange man was aware of his presence the entire time.**

"You can come out now...he is gone" the man said as Logan stayed still, not trusting anyone whose eyes he can't see.

"Come out, you have my word that I mean you no harm" the being said before entering his mind absolutely undetected 'if I meant to harm you, I'd have done it by now'

Logan came out and stood before the man, not taking his eyes off him "What do you want with Dairou Cerulean?!" Logan demanded as the being preceded to observing his board with a somewhat neutral chuckle "So the fated one is this 'Dairou Cerulean', I presume?" He rubbed his chin "Logan, you meddle in things that are far beyond your comprehension...not that you or your meddling can change what is to come."

Logan growled "Wanna bet?" as he gets into a fighting stance "take that damn mask off...I don't trust anyone whose eyes I can't see"

"I am Jak the Overseer, and you should not meddle in my affairs" Jak laughed as Logan charged, only for him to disappear and Logan to end up on the floor

"Where are you?!" He snarled "stop hiding and-"

"Who's hiding...?" Jak interrupted appearing behind him "as I said, no one is allowed into or out of my dimensional realm without my OK and besides, should you not be more worried about your landing?"

 **...and in a blink of an eye, Logan found himself free falling again as he wore a haunted expression.**

"You okay?" X-23 asks as they land safely in the trees below, but Logan simply stares at her in annoyance before looking away, only to notice a ring like the one Matthew wore on his right middle finger with a yellow glow on the strange markings and unable to remove it.

 _'Take this as my gift'_ he heard the Overseer's voice in his head _'and don't waste your time trying to remove it, it will allow you to return to me whenever you so wish it.'_

"Let's go, Laura..." Logan said, apparently she cannot hear the voice of the Overseer called Jak, who is a powerful enough telepath to enter Logan's mind with ease without the need of even leaving his own dimension.

* * *

 **A/N - That's it for the first chapter of Switched Loyalties - Family Ties, what does Dairou's psychotic grandfather have in store for him, how is Ameterasu able to possess Dairou now and what are his plans for Rogue and what hand could this mysterious Jak the Overseer have to gain by watching and manipulating it all by allowing Logan into his dimension...he may not reappear until the end of the story though and can you guess who Pinger Cerulean's brother is...all and more to be revealed...read, review and I'd love to hear what you think.**

 **...Warrior-of-Darkness015 out...**


End file.
